Awaking the Mantle
by HD-spartan
Summary: Long before the Reapers there was a race of gods. They had advanced to the highest point of evolution and technology, and when as their forefathers had done they activated the Array. But they left one who had fought Gods and Demons, the one who, as his predecessor had done, burned the galaxy of all life. An ancient power stirs. He awakes. And his fury will burn the stars themselve.


Awaking the Mantle Chapter 1

Not only is this a crossover but it's an AU as well as Mordin survived Tuchanka and the Quarian Geth problem has been sorted but Cerberus has not attacked the Citadel yet.

Thanks to Andrithir for letting me use part of his story "After the Fall". You should check out some of his stuff it's awesome. I am going to work on this and Empires Clash at the same time and may carry over some characters. PM me with any questions.

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_Long before the Reapers threatened galactic peace there was a race of gods. This race was Reclaimers, they had advanced to the highest point of evolution and technology. So they transcended this galaxy and many another, and then as their forefathers had done they activated the Array. But they left their greatest works, their most horrific monsters; their finest soldiers; one who had fought Gods and Demons, and the one who, as his predecessor had done, burned the galaxy of all life. Now as the Reapers begin their harvest. And an ancient power stirs. He awakes. His legions rise. And his fury will burn the stars themselves._

***Break***

**NEW MAGINOT SPHERE SECTORE 391 DREADNOUGHT _GOD SLAYER_**

John Antarius Didact stood on the bridge of his dreadnought watching the Flood fleet advance. They could not stop them; the parasite was supported by legions of machines. The Reapers. Such an inspiring name, he could see the largest easily; their flagship was a terrifying 50km high. John knew that within that onyx hide, past rows of hardware and weapons, was a single mind responsible for a thousand years of bloodshed, a mind so strong it could break mountains, a soul so corrupted that even the Gravemind was wary of it, "Harbinger." He growled.

When the Reclaimers had begun to spread and expand beyond even the Forerunners they searched for their forefathers the Precursors, they found thousands of Galaxies, many they simply observed, some they guided from the shadows, others they led on the path of the Mantle, some they were forced to fight and one they were forced to purge. But throughout all the dozens of galaxies they expanded through, they saw the hand of the Precursors, bridges between planets, stars surrounded by perfect planets, and cities of forgotten relics, as they pressed on they found more and more, each find fresher that the last. And when at last their empire encompassed over twenty five galaxies, some protected, some ruled, they found them. The Precursors.

But it was not the joyful reunion of two long forgotten allies; it was too witness the death of gods. The Precursors, creators of a thousand civilisations, the masters of the entire material universe, burned once again at the hands of their own creation, but this time there was no escape. It was then John saw it, hovering over the gutted corpse of the last Precursor ship, the Reaper, the Ascended, the Ender of Worlds, Harbinger.

An alien mind, a corrupted soul, Harbinger claimed that organic life was chaotic and threatened the very order of the universe and as such must be expunged. Thus began the War in Heaven, countless worlds burned as the Reapers advanced; galaxy after galaxy fell. The stars themselves became weapons hurled against fleets of thousands and worlds became vast fortresses guarding systems with firepower to rival the largest fleets. But still they came on, unleashing the parasite, the Flood, as a vanguard to their genocidal crusade. But the Reclaimers made every galaxy lost, a burning reminder of their might, they initiated the stellar collapse of every star in a galaxy before they lost it. Thousands of species sacrificed themselves to take hundreds of Reapers with them.

Until now. The last galaxy. The Milky Way. The final stand. The Reapers could never return to the galaxy of their birth, it like many others was now a simple void in space. Whether they won, or lost, this galaxy was now the cradle of life.

John turned from the window to look at his dreadnaught, the crew were silent, resigned, contained. "Status on the transporters?" He asked his voice hollow.

"All transports have entered slipspace, the remaining Sangheili request Ascension." A female voice said beside him, it was a simple sentence but it was like having a freight train rammed into his chest.

"Gods damn it. Cortana, they have authorisation once the Array is fired." He told his long time companion and friend.

She nodded once "You think it will work?" her voice held no fear, like everyone else alive she knew that death was coming.

He laughed, cold and humourless "It will have to." He turned to one of the bridge officers "Commander Caldwell what the status on the fleets?"

"Sir! 5th battle group is completely destroyed, 7th 19th and 31st battle groups are heavily damaged and will not be able to jump. 10th fleet has exhausted all munitions and are making the jump. Super Carrier _Last Breath_ has been boarded and is accelerating into the enemy fleet the Ship Master intends to detonate his reactor. Fleets all along the new Maginot Sphere are reporting similar casualties. The enemy have lost some 2000 ships in total but more are arriving from the Relays every hour. We are ten minutes away from firing." Caldwell reported his hands moving swiftly over the holographic battle map.

John bit back a growl; the Relays had been deployed by the Reapers to act as a superior form of FTL. Mentally sighing, he began to give his last orders of this war. "Pull all ships back. Staggered line. Charge all weapons and unlock all safeties." The fleets moved to carry out his orders, "_God Slayer_, _Imperator_, and _Kraken_ will fire Mega MACs on my mark. All other ships link to my countdown fire when ready. All slipspace missiles are to aim for the Flood hive ships."

A countdown appeared on one of the screens. "Cortana" He whispered, the construct nodded once. The Com link for every ship, every world, every soldier, sparked to life, "The Gods have fallen. World's burn. Countless species have died. For what? For order? The Reapers and the Flood claim that they are perfection. That there must be only order in the universe. But will we go quietly? Will we accept our fate? Will we abandon the Mantle? For this order?" his voice was soft and gentle, like a fathers speaking to a newborn child. "NO!" John roared his voice changing to battle pitch. "We will fight! We will die! We will never give in! We are the Gods of War! Fire!" The thousands of ships opened fire, tearing into their foe with force to crack a planet. The Reapers and Flood shook under the fire power. And still John roared "As we step into the Darkness we will gift their order with one last paces of chaos! A burning reminder of our will and might! A burning reminder of the Reclaimers! A burning reminder of the Mantle! LET THEM BURN!"

And the galaxy burned.

_Remember this well monster. I have walked to Edge of the Abyss. I have governed the unwilling. I have witnessed countless empires break before me. I have seen the most courageous soldiers fall away in fear. You have won this day but all empires rise and fall. The Mantle will endure. I hope that some other race will take it upon themselves so that my warriors may sleep for eternity, but if we are called, we will answer. And we will have our vengeance for this war. _

_**Supreme Commander John Antarius Didact message to Harbinger upon the fall of the Reclaimers.**_

***Break***

**ARTEMIS TAU CLUSTER, THERUM, ABOARD HUMAN VESSEL NORMANDY**

The Normandy slowly descended upon the planet's surface. Javik had heard rumours of a godlike race having graced this planet before the fall of the Prothean Empire. The moment the ship touched down, the Prothean General beckoned to the multi-race team of aliens to follow him.

Leading this team was the Exemplar of Victory, Jake Shepard a warrior who if he had lived in Javik's time would have been the greatest of generals. Among the team, was an Asari scientist named Liara T'Soni, though extremely young by her species' standards, she had the wisdom and intelligence of the greatest Matriarchs. Flanked on both sides, were two Turians, two more Humans, two Salarians and a Quarian.

The two Turians were

Nihlus Kryik, one of the best Spectres to have ever graced the halls of the Citadel, and Garrus Vakarian, currently one of the second highest ranking officers in Turian Hierarchy. The two were an inseparable pair, always cracking jokes and brightening up everyone's day with their banter. Javik had taken a liking to the pair since they, with the help of Shepard and Liara T'Soni, uncovered him on Eden Prime.

The two humans were officers in the Systems Alliances; James Vega, a towering example of human military training and strength. The other was Lieutenant Commander Ashley Williams, a soldier to the core, who had served with Shepard since the beginning of his war on the Reapers.

The Quarian was Tali'Zorah vas Normandy, an Admiral and Ambassador for the Migrant Fleet and another of Shepard's close friends and squad mates.

Finally, the two Salarians, were STG Operatives, Captain Kirrahe and Professor Mordin Solus. They were the intelligence and recon element of the team, and kept their relationships professional, as do all Salarians.

"Therum," Laira began, "many mining corporations have been here before, but I doubt there would be anything useful."

"There is something on this planet," Jake said, "something even the Reapers feared. The Leviathans have told me of this."

"Super weapon maybe?" Solus hypothesised, "no, already have Crucible. Maybe, yes. Hmmm."

"Calm down Mordin," Garrus said chuckled, "we'll get to see it soon enough."

Stepping onto the lifeless planet, covered in grey clouds, Shepard ordered his team to fan out.

"What do you expect we'll find?" Nihlus asked.

"Something beyond comprehension," Jake answered with a smirk, Nihlus rolled his eyes at this.

The Prothean lead them towards the ruins of the Great Empire, the team looking around.

"Another ruin," Garrus shrugged in disappointment, lowering his sniper rifle.

"Not just any ruin," Liara said running her Omni-tool over an empty stasis pod, "this one is a Prothean dig site."

"Agreed," Mordin added, "depth, structure, layout," he took a quick breath, "all suggest a mine shaft."

"Then let us go in." Jake said striding forward, the team slowly made their way down through the Prothean halls, where the green lights flickered.

"It would appear that my people knew of the secrets this planet held," Javik said.

During the Prothean-Reaper War, the Prothean Empire had been divided and cut off from one another. What one faction knew, the other did not. As they reached the lower levels of the shaft, they arrived at a grey door within the vast expanse of an excavated chamber. It looked so out of place against the Prothean surroundings.

"Hmmm, door appears to be protected by a barrier of some kind," Mordin said, scanning the area with his Omni-tool.

Looking around the chamber, Javik spotted an echo-shard hovering on a pedestal. Quickly, he ran over, and touched the object. But instead of being assaulted by memories, a VI appeared. Its green holographic form took shape of a Prothean Warrior.

"I am the Prothean VI called Hunter," it turned to Javik, "General, good to see you alive."

"What is the meaning of this place?" Shepard asked his eyes running over the barrier.

"Our scientist have discovered a strange anomaly during the war, and found this."

"What is it?" Javik asked.

"A chamber, estimated to be older than the Reapers."

That statement earned murmurs and gasps from everyone.

"Does this belong to the creators of the Reapers?" Liara asked.

"Unknown, but it is doubtful," Hunter responded, "the designs do not match. The Reapers are shaped like the Suctlefish on the planet Gaia. The design of this installation is angular and military."

"Can we enter it?"

"We have tried," the VI said, "but even brute force barely made a mark against the barrier."

Carefully, Ashley walked up to the large door, and pressed her hand on the shield. It felt vibrant, soft, silky, and yet dense and durable. A low hum resounded through a chamber, and a port opened just above the Humans head. The team had their weapons trained on the port almost instantly.

"Our scientist believed that to be a scanner, it was activated after the first attempt to breach the door with force" Hunter said.

A blue light carefully combed up and down the regroup before finally stopping. A low hissing sound came from the door as it parted open, and the shields collapsed. The team instantly had their weapons focused on the opening.

"By the Goddess," Liara whispered as she entered, the others followed hesitantly.

The group made their way into the chamber; it appeared to be a hangar of some kind. Ten ships, the size of a Turian Dreadnought stood side by side, their nose pointing upwards. Blue lights streamed across the dark grey walls. Everyone could only stare in awe at the sight that lay before them.

"This chamber is carrying a battle group worth of resources inside it," Kirrahe commented his eyes running all over the ships.

A tinkling and trickling sound spread throughout the chamber. The team watched in amazement as a luminous blue human formed before them. It stood at about average height, and once it had fully formed, it faded into an array of dark blues. Its attire appeared to be a simple body suit; its eyes were a cold ice colour. It had neatly kept black hair atop its head. The image was clearly female.

"What are you?" Liara said in awe.

And to everyone's surprise, it answered in perfect English.

"I am Cortana, the artificial intelligence assigned to monitor Instillation 051" it said.

"An AI!" Javik and Tali growled, raising their weapons.

"Oh calm down you two; you get on fine with EDI and the Geth." Shepard said, but his hand remained tight on his rifle.

"This installation, monitored by an advanced AI?" Solus pondered, "Fascinating."

The AI looked at him and raised its eyebrows.

"It looks like it has been a while."

"What? What has been a while?" Shepard asked

The AI stared at him its mouth slightly open before it smiled "It seems you rose again. It must have been millennia since we fell. It is best you follow me," the AI said.

"What is to stop you killing us?" Javik asked with a growl, his rifle trained on the AI.

"And what do I gain from doing that?" It asked tilting its head to the side in a shockingly human like gesture.

A strange gondola like transport roared to life. It was apparent that the AI had commandeered it, and was planning to use it to take the group deeper into the Installation.

"I am not getting aboard that thing," Javik hissed his four eyes locked on the AI.

"If Cortana wanted to kill us," Mordin said stepping aboard, "would've done it already. Best to be humoured."

"The afterlife help you if you're wrong," Javik growled.

The gondola flew through the cavernous chamber. The once dormant machines within awoke, and began to work.

"Is there anyone inside this installation?" Nihlus asked.

Cortana nodded once.

"How many?" the Spectre pushed

"This installation is the resting place for the 1st Legion of three thousand Reclaimer Demons as well as over two hundred thousand Reclaimers."

Liara couldn't help but marvel how lifelike this AI was. There were just so many questions to ask it. Or her. It sounded female. T'Soni wondered how it understood Shepard's language if it had been older than the Reapers, or how it seemed comfortable with all these new species, and most importantly why was it human. So many questions to ask, the Asari thought.

The transport arrived at some massive chamber, and touched down gently on a landing pad.

"Everybody, please watch your step," Cortana said.

T'Soni found herself gazing at the vast expanse of the chamber, illuminated in blue. Elegant spheres of grey metal were aligned in a perfect formation, three thousand spheres in ten columns of three hundred each. Four single spheres floated only a few feet from Shepard.

"Impressive, anti-gravity generators, no mass effect fields detected," Mordin commented.

"He will be waking up soon," Cortana said a gentle smile on her face, "wait here."

***Break***

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Ok ,first chapter up.

I will continue to work on the next chapter for Empires Clash now.

HD


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